What is “fee-only” financial planning? Why is that important?
Fee-only financial planners are registered investment advisors with a fiduciary responsibility to act in their clients’ best interest. We do not accept any fees or receive compensation from a brokerage firm, mutual fund, insurance company or any other source besides you. Because our sole compensation comes directly from you (our client), our only loyalty is to you. We do not sell any proprietary financial products and always act as advocates for you to identify the most cost effective and appropriate solutions to help you meet your goals.
How are you compensated?
We provide transparency to our fee schedule on our website and openly state our fees in our customer agreements. Before committing to an engagement, our clients know exactly what they will pay for the advice and investment management services they will receive.
What is your investment philosophy?
We believe a sound investment portfolio strikes an adequate balance between the risks of the portfolio, an investors's willingness to assume risk and financial capacity to bear risk. We harmonize these traits by consistently reviewing the holdings in our clients' portfolios and maintaining open-ended dialogue with our clients about their risk tolerance and financial capacity.
How do you manage risk?
We utilize fundamental research techniques to select a diversified pool of liquid investments which are then back-tested using quantitative risk management methods. This process allows us to develop an optimal weighting of investments designed to target a specific risk/return profile. We actively monitor company specific and macroeconomic news and research to consistently update our portfolio models. We periodically review and rebalance client accounts to reflect amendments to the target model portfolios and to maintain harmony with a client’s risk tolerance.
Do I have enough assets in my investment account for you to manage?
We do not set a minimum asset level for our investment management services. If the size of a client’s portfolio is below a threshold to target the model portfolios (typically $50,000) we may propose increasing the usage of index based ETFs to achieve a desired level of market risk exposure.
Can you develop a financial plan for me without managing my investment assets?
Yes. We believe that everyone should have financial goals and every goal needs a plan. If you want to manage your own assets or already have an outside asset manager we’d be happy to work with you to develop your financial plan.
Can you manage my investments without a financial plan?
Sorry, but no. We feel strongly that to effectively manage your investments we should have a working knowledge of the “what, when and how” you will use your assets. Our Comprehensive Wealth Management service assigns one price for the combined plan and investment management service. We can limit the scope of your plan and the related investment portfolio to a specific goal(s) such as retirement or a vacation home purchase. Understanding your bigger picture helps to determine your risk tolerance which is what drives our investment allocation process.
Where are you located?
Cipriano Wealth Management is located in Florham Park, NJ. While we live and work in northern New Jersey, our technology platform allows us to serve clients in any state. Our platform utilizes cloud-based software which enable us to be “virtually” located wherever you are.